The Brief

A funny thing happened on the way to cannabis legalization: illegal pot is still big business.

In the decade since the first states legalized recreational marijuana, about half the country has moved to allow adults to buy regulated pot from authorized sources. But in some states, that's been more theory than practice.

In New York, which legalized marijuana in 2021, retail sales are dominated by ubiquitous illegal "smoke shops," while the state struggles to license legitimate ones. Governor Kathy Hochul has called the transition "a disaster," and has pledged to crack down on the illegal sellers.

In Maine, the congressional delegation last summer asked the Justice Department for help in combatting illegal cannabis producers, who outnumber the state's licensed operations and are believed to be funded in part by Chinese investors.

Wilson Linares, commander of the L.A. County law enforcement division of the California Department of Cannabis Control, heads to the location to serve a search warrant on an unlicensed cannabis store in Long Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2024.

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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And in California, where voters approved recreational pot in 2016, state officials readily acknowledge the industry still operates mostly in the shadows.

"The black market is very pervasive and it's definitely larger than the legal market," says Bill Jones, the head of enforcement for the state's Department of Cannabis Control.

California is the biggest example of the unfulfilled promise of a legitimate cannabis market. Some entrepreneurs blame high taxes and start-up costs for licensed producers and retailers. Smaller operators often have trouble getting access to capital, as the continued federal prohibition on the marijuana business makes it virtually impossible for them to tap into traditional financial services.

Wilson Linares, commander of the L.A. County law enforcement division of the California Dept. of Cannabis Control, shows a sampling of the unlicensed cannabis edibles seized from a black market store in Long Beach, Calif., on March 5.

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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Jones, however, focuses on what law enforcement did — or rather, what it didn't do — in the first few years after the vote to allow a licensed weed industry.

"Most jurisdictions — local jurisdictions — police or sheriff's departments and district attorney's offices, were very reluctant to do any kind of enforcement on cannabis," he says. "It really created an air of impunity, and the unlicensed activity really skyrocketed."

Washington state, by contrast, maintained law enforcement pressure on illegal marijuana after voters legalized pot in 2012, which gave the new licensed industry time to establish itself.

Passersby watch as California Department of Cannabis Control detectives, with support of Long Beach Law enforcement, serve a search warrant on an unlicensed dispensary in Long Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2024. Like many unlicensed cannabis stores, this one is unmarked and still has signage from a previous business. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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In California, the DCC is now trying to close the gap. It gathers anonymous tips about unlicensed cannabis stores, which operate semi-openly out of storefronts that aren't hard to identify.

"They'll occupy buildings [where] the business itself has moved or is out of business," says Wilson Linares, the DCC's head of enforcement for the Los Angeles area. His officers and local police recently raided a shabby storefront in Long Beach. The sign reads "Flores Cabinets," but inside they find cannabis edibles for sale, as well as loose marijuana flowers, sold in jars — a practice called "deli style," prohibited under California's cannabis regulations.

Linares says some of the unlicensed stores are identified with the green cross emblem, borrowed from the medical marijuana movement that predated recreational stores. Another clue, though, is the level of security. The ostensible cabinet store in Long Beach has a heavy metal door and security grates over mirrored windows.

California Department of Cannabis Control detectives lock the premises after serving a search warrant on an unlicensed dispensary in Long Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2024. The penalty for unlicensed cannabis sales is usually a fine, and officers raid the some addresses over and over.

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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"One of the biggest things that you can see is the cameras. The building itself is old but the cameras are new. That's a pretty good indicator for us," Linares says.

These raids have ramped up in the last couple of years, especially in Los Angeles. Some of the unlicensed retailers have shifted toward delivery services. But the penalty for getting caught selling unlicensed marijuana is relatively light — usually a $500 fine, unless the person has broken other laws — and Linares says his officers find themselves raiding the same storefronts over and over again.

"These places don't pay taxes, it doesn't help provide services for the people who live around here," Linares says. "And the individuals who run these places, they're often not the best," he says. "Gangs and organized crime."

This doesn't come as much of a surprise to an economist.

Unlicensed cannabis products removed from a black market store in Long Beach, Calif. The products will be destroyed.

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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"The black market becomes more competitive," says Tiffanie Perrault, a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University in Montreal who studies cannabis markets. She says it's understandable why illegal marijuana expanded in California after legalization.

"You remove risk — because you know, it's legal — so you have more consumers," she says. "And at the same time, your black market is going to react strategically by adjusting prices and levels of quality."

The black market in California also benefits from the restrictions on the licensed competitors, such as the fact that only about 40% of local jurisdictions in California permit cannabis stores. That leaves the other 60% to the retailers who don't wait for official approval.

California cannabis buyers are often unaware of — or indifferent to — the legality of the product they buy, but they do notice prices. Depending on the jurisdiction, taxes on licensed pot can reach 38%.

California Department of Cannabis Control detectives, with support of Long Beach Law enforcement serve a search warrant and remove cannabis products at an unlicensed dispensary in Long Beach, Calif., on March 5, 2024.

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Alisha Jucevic for NPR

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"I got a disposable and some edibles," says Camerin Remmington as he exits an authorized store on the edge of town in Riverside. "It's almost 60 bucks for two items. It's a little more expensive here!"

He says he appreciates the fact that the licensed products are tested for quality.

"You know it is what it is," he says. "You can't go wrong with it!"

But with cannabis, legality for its own sake is not a concern for Remmington. He volunteers that he grew it illegally on his land in the high desert during the post-legalization boom a couple of years ago. He says it made money, until police showed up a year and a half ago.

"We got ticketed for it, for having a couple of processed plants, but they didn't catch the bulk of anything," he says. When he showed up for his court date, the case appeared to be a low priority. "They didn't even know who we were!"

Riverside County Sheriff Department Sergeant Jeremy Parsons collects cannabis clippings and firearms from an unlicensed greenhouse in Perris, CA.

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Martin Kaste

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NPR

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Those raids are still happening in rural Riverside County. On a Tuesday morning, the sheriff's department's Marijuana Enforcement Team leads a ten-vehicle convoy through the outskirts of the town of Perris. They're following up on a tip about a house hidden at the end of a private drive. The operation commander, Sgt. Jeremy Parsons, comes out to the main road to report that it is, indeed, an illegal grow.

"When we went up to the house we could smell marijuana. We found a greenhouse in the backyard which contained a few hundred small marijuana plants," he says. They also found guns, and they run the names of two people on the site to see if either one is a felon, and not allowed to have a firearm.

"There's not a lot of criminal consequences [for illegally growing marijuana]," Parsons says. But the strategy here is to try to charge growers with other crimes — that's why the convoy of vehicles was so long, as it included people from California Fish and Wildlife, the local water board and even code inspectors.

"That's what we're charging these people with: water contamination, pesticides that are illegal, the fertilizers that are illegal. That's where we're getting people," says Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco.

But for Bianco, the bigger issue is legalization itself. He's against it, because he believes it encourages the illegal pot farms in the hills of Riverside County.

"It made it worse. One hundred percent, it made it worse," he says.

A big problem, as he sees it, is exports. California has become a major exporter to states where marijuana is still illegal — and fetches a higher price — despite the warning from the Justice Department back when legalization got started that the states that legalize pot should make sure to keep it inside their borders.

Bianco says the marijuana gold rush has attracted Mexican drug cartels and Asian human smuggling rings.

"I mean, we've had multiple, multiple homicides, we've had multiple kidnappings, we've had multiple reports of human trafficking and rapes and the punishments that go with not doing your job — and it's all related to this," Bianco says.

Back at the DCC, Bill Jones says he thinks legalization was, as he puts it, "imperative," but he also believes it should be possible eventually to curb the black market.

"I think it's doable. But it's going to take a lot of resources and consistent enforcement over years to get our arms around this," Jones says.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

If you hear what sounds like a truly unsafe barrage of fireworks on an average weeknight this month, if you find yourself metaphorically drowning in a sea of green flags during your rush-hour commute, if your usual taquero smells like expensive tequila, don’t worry, Los Angeles. It probably just means Mexico’s national soccer team has won its latest World Cup match. Or lost it, I guess.

The FIFA World Cup begins Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and officials across Los Angeles County have been touting it as a once-in-a-generation moment, a dress rehearsal for the 2028 Olympics, a $594 million injection into the local economy and proof that L.A. can pull off anything. 

The 2026 World Cup seems different for many reasons, not least that L.A. will be hosting eight matches of the globe’s most popular sporting event while many of its residents are still worried about immigration crackdowns. 

“If the World Cup is to fulfill its promise of unity, it must do more than fill stadiums,” José M. Alamillo and José Luis Collazo Jr. wrote recently in Zócalo. “It must heed lessons of the past to ensure that Latino communities who built the sport in the U.S. are not made to feel like outsiders in their own game.”

Unite Here Local 11 members celebrate a successful contract negotiation during a press conference outside SoFi Stadium on June 9, 2026.

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Andrew Lopez

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The LA Local

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That tension is already happening in our own backyard, highlighted by stadium hospitality workers who had to threaten a strike just days before kickoff to secure safety guarantees. 

As Ashleigh Huffman, the U.S. State Department’s former chief of sports diplomacy, noted, the global tournament is walking a razor-thin tightrope: 

“I see the 2026 World Cup at the intersection of two really stark realities. Unprecedented opportunity to heal a country that is deeply divided and a world that is struggling. And unprecedented scrutiny. Everything that’s going on has the power to unite us, but it also is forcing conversations around access and human rights and immigration and who gets included in this celebration.” 

Here are five questions we’re asking as the month of games get underway. 

Fans pose for a photo prior to a FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match between Mexico and the United States, Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in Cincinnati. The U.S. won 2-0.

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Julio Cortez

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Will traffic be a mess, and can Metro handle it?

Metro’s spokesperson Jose Ubaldo told The LA Local that the agency is working “with a coalition of regional transit providers” to add 300 buses with direct service to the games.

“The regular Metro bus service won’t be disturbed,” Ubadlo said via email. “Services are aimed at helping fans reach matches, fan festivals and related events throughout Southern California.”

Metro enhanced bus service is nonstop to SoFi Stadium and will operate from 15 different locations in L.A. and Orange County

See the list of pick-up locations here. 

Metrolink is also layering on special service and late-night runs. But given that it takes me an hour and a half to get from Koreatown to Southeast L.A. any given afternoon, it will remain to be seen if more buses can make a major impact. 

All we have to do is look at the Mexico vs Australia friendly at the Rose Bowl a few weeks ago. I spoke to a few people who went to that game — or at least tried to — and they spent most of it stuck in just parking lot traffic. 

Metro says it’s treating the event like a unique logistical quagmire. Except, it may not be unique. Even though more people generally watch the World Cup, the summer 2026 Olympic Games will be spread all over L.A. County with way more than just eight events. 

Dallan Larsen, right, and Casey Stagner wear U.S. flag costumes as they walk past Mexican soccer fans before the CONCACAF Gold Cup soccer final between the United States and Mexico, outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, June 25, 2011.

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Jae C. Hong

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Will local businesses actually get a boost?

The official estimate puts total economic impact at about $892 million across Los Angeles County, with $515 million in direct visitor spending, but big-event money has a habit of clustering around hotels, stadium-adjacent corridors and tourist traps before it reaches the taquería or panadería around the corner. 

Some local businesses in Boyle Heights and Pico Union have already told us they are already starting to see a positive impact. But a prime example of how big events don’t always equal business can be found right down the street from SoFi Stadium in downtown Inglewood. Take CoquetteKouture, a small African clothing boutique that had been a neighborhood staple for more than 36 years. While massive sports venues went up nearby, the owners, Aicha and Bass Lo, watched their actual foot traffic and sales plummet due to local gentrification, leading to the business’s eventual closure. 

Will regular people find ways to enjoy it?

The city and its partners are rolling out public fan programming and transit-linked viewing options, which is the right instinct in a city where most people cannot afford the four-figure ticket.

But some of that enjoyment will depend on the next question. 

A Huntington Park, Calif., Police officer aims his rifle towards a crowd of unruly soccer fans, June 28, 1994, after an impromptu celebration of Mexico’s 1-1 tie with Italy in World Cup action became a disturbance.

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How will police increase their presence?

Officials have already described the security operation as one of the largest in L.A. history, and that kind of language usually means more police, more cameras, more checkpoints and more of the feeling that ordinary public space is suddenly a  highly-secure government office building. 

ABC7 reported the operation is being framed as a precursor to the 2028 Olympics. But as The LA Local recently reported, some organizers feel this could be the start of a new security state. The city recently authorized a rush transfer of nearly half a million dollars to build out a centralized “Real-Time Crime Center” on the third floor of the Police Administration Building, specifically racing to meet a deadline for this June’s World Cup. 

The command hub will weave together AI-driven analytics, live camera feeds and automated license plate readers. For community organizers like Hamid Khan of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, this is history repeating itself. He told The LA Local that the city is using the World Cup as a Trojan horse to “layer in surveillance infrastructure that will still be standing long after the closing ceremonies.” 

It’s a playbook straight out of the 1984 L.A. Olympics, when Chief Daryl Gates used massive federal funding to launch dragnet “sanitation sweeps” of unhoused people and Black and brown neighborhoods under the guise of Olympic security — leaving behind a legacy of militarized policing that Angelenos have been dealing with ever since. 

President Donald Trump shakes hands with FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he presented with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington.

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Evan Vucci, File

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Will DHS go after immigrant fans and visitors on visas? 

That’s the question hanging over all of it. White House Task Force on the World Cup executive director Andrew Giuliani recently tried to wave away concerns, stating flatly that “if you’re inside the country legally, then you have nothing to worry about.” Officially, the Department of Homeland Security maintains that civil immigration enforcement will not happen at the games.

But in a city where federal immigration arrests have tripled over the last year, those reassurances can ring hollow to people struggling to get their legal status sorted. L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna recently confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively embedded in the World Cup security layout. 

While officials claim ICE is only there in an “investigatory” capacity, Sheriff Luna himself admitted to reporters that the promise of zero civil enforcement is completely “subject to change.” 

We will report back on these questions in 39 days, when the World Cup is over. But for now, I will just leave my fellow Mexico fans with this: “No era penal.”

I’ll be honest: I have a major fear of bats. But I get how important they are for our ecosystem, and therefore I will overcome my fear to share with you how to participate in the annual backyard bat roost count — just don’t count on seeing me there! Pride also continues, with the big L.A. Pride Parade on Sunday and smaller events like Foothills Pride making your weekend rainbow-colored. And, of course, there’s World Cup action on every corner.

In music, Licorice Pizza’s picks include the Blue Note Jazz Festival taking over the Hollywood Bowl with a stellar all-star lineup Saturday and Sunday that includes Patti LaBelle, Wyclef Jean, Gregory Porter, Samara Joy, Robert Glasper, host Arsenio Hall and many more. Plus, on Friday, James Blake is at the Greek Theatre, and on Saturday, you can check out Sparta at the Belasco, Rico Nasty and friends at the Bellwether, or Hunx and His Punx playing an early free “Off the 405” show at the Getty Museum.

Two pop divas will also begin their two-night runs: Shakira at the Intuit Dome, and Ariana Grande at Crypto.com Arena. Finally, on Sunday, Ringo Starr is at the Greek, French Montana is at the Palladium, hyperpop sensation Dorian Electra plays the Echo and ‘80s powerpop veterans the Smithereens will be at McCabe’s Guitar Shop.

Elsewhere on LAist, you can get the lowdown on all the hidden L.A. gems our staff recommend you check out (as if I haven’t given you enough weekend ideas!), and maybe — just maybe — find out how to score yourself a last-minute World Cup ticket.

Events

Grand Performances 40th Anniversary

Saturday, June 13, 6 p.m. 
California Plaza
340 S. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Sandy Altamirano

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Kick off a big summer of outdoor parties for the 40th Anniversary of the concert series Grand Performances at California Plaza downtown. First up: Grammy-winning L.A. institution Ozomatli, veteran Afro-Latin fusion powerhouse Jungle Fire, Healing Gems and DJ sets by Liza Richardson. Free concerts continue all summer through Aug. 29.

KCRW Summer Nights

Friday, June 12, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
La Brea Tar Pits 
5801 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy La Brea Tar Pits

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The La Brea Tar Pits are about to close for two years for renovations ahead of the 2028 Olympics, so head to KCRW’s Summer Nights dance party for one last hurrah there (well, for now). After hours, the iconic complex will host free, family-friendly programming that spans indoor exhibitions and lively outdoor spaces.

Outdoor movie night at Skirball: The Punk Singer 

Friday, June 12, 6 p.m. 
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A.
COST: $20; MORE INFO 

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Courtesy Skirball Cultural Center

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If you haven’t had a chance to see the awesome punk rock exhibit on at Skirball this summer, Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos: Punk Culture 1976–86, this screening night is a great opportunity. Activist, musician and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s, will be on hand for a screening of the movie about her life, 2013’s The Punk Singer, and a conversation afterward with Ms. Magazine Executive Editor Katherine Spillar, moderated by Skirball Chief Curator Cate Thurston. There will also be an opening DJ set from Allison Wolfe. If you can’t make it, don’t fret; the exhibit is on through Sept. 6, so you can bring all your visiting rebel friends.

Hollywood Fringe Festival

Through Sunday, June 28
Various locations 
COST: VARIES; MORE INFO 

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Peter LoGreco

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Amy Veltman

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There are dozens of shows coming to the annual Hollywood Fringe Festival, and it always leaves me asking — where are all these fun theater people hiding the rest of the year? With plays, standup shows, musicals and more, the Fringe has a lot to offer. There seems to be a theme going this year, with several plays about women of a certain age (Pelvic Service Announcement, Perimenoparty). Most shows are about an hour, so it’s easy to plan a day and fit a couple in at the black-box venues up and down Santa Monica Blvd. Break a leg, Fringers!

Artist talk: Ellie Krakow and Deb Klowden Mann

Saturday, June 13, 4 p.m.
FOYER-LA 
3920 Fountain Ave., Silver Lake
COST: FREE; MORE INFO 

I’ve been lucky to know New York-based (but L.A.-born-and-raised) artist Ellie Krakow and her work for more than 20 years, but her L.A. solo show at the new — and very hip — FOYER-LA space in Silver Lake is a great introduction. She focuses on representing her experience with chronic illness through sculpture and other media, and will host a conversation with complementary writer and curator Deb Klowden Mann. Mann will read essays about moving through illness and patient advocacy, and will share information about something no one can escape: navigating our complex healthcare system. Krakow’s show is on through June 27.

Los Angeles Youth Orchestra

Sunday, June 14, 6 p.m.
Encino Community Center 
4935 Balboa Ave., Encino
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Los Angeles Youth Orchestra

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The accomplished student musicians ages 8–18 of the L.A. Youth Orchestra will play a free concert at the Encino Community Center Auditorium in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The program features an all-American repertoire, conducted by Artistic Director Russell Steinberg and Assistant Conductor Jorge Padron.

Heated Rivalry Dance Party

Saturday, June 13, 10:30 p.m. 
The Venice West
1717 Lincoln Blvd., Venice
COST: $24; MORE INFO 

A 'Heated Rivalry' dance party is happening this weekend.

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Sabrina Lantos

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HBO Max

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It’s Pride, so of course, there’s a Heated Rivalry dance party going on somewhere. This time it’s at the Venice West, where the intimate space will turn into an “emotionally charged dance party inspired by the tension, obsession, and enemies-to-lovers chaos of Heated Rivalry.” Featuring tracks from the show as well as iconic 2010s jams, bring your Canadian tuxedo and get ready to party.

Pride House x World Cup 

Through Sunday, June 14 
Beaches Tropicana 
8911 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy Girls, Gays & Theys

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Beaches Tropicana in West Hollywood is hosting live watch parties, a Women in Sports Day conversation with USWNT legends Christen Press and Tobin Heath, the first-ever Gay MLS Players Reunion with Collin Martin and Matt Hatzke, moderated by Outsports co-founder Cyd Zeigler and much more. It’s all the best of Pride month and soccer mania!

The hot weather continues for the rest of the week here in Southern California.

Today's highs are not much different than yesterday. Temperatures along the L.A. and Orange County coast are going to stay in the 70s with highs up to 78 degrees likely further south.

For the valley communities, temperatures are going to reach the mid-80s to low 90s. Up to 95 degrees is possible for the warmest areas of the Inland Empire.

And in Coachella Valley, we're looking at temperatures again in the 100s with highs up to 109 degrees.

There's no one-size-fits-all approach for choosing a preschool because, let's face it, every family has different needs, and those needs will shape your choices.

In Los Angeles County alone, there are about 9,000 licensed early care and education providers. Among them, there is plenty to consider, such as cost, distance, curriculum, classroom size, hours, after-school care and more, leaving many families overwhelmed and confused by the choices.

On top of that, demand is high — and wait lists can be long — which adds more stress for families looking to lock down options quickly and early.

This guide is meant to help you figure out what your preschool options are for your 2- to 4-year-olds – and how to determine the best program for your family.

As you dive into this guide, remember to trust your gut! You're your child's first teacher and you ultimately know what's best for them.

What is preschool, anyway? How is it different from childcare, and how does it work?

Childcare is an umbrella term that covers all of the early care and education systems that serve infants, toddlers and preschool aged children, said Debra Colman, Director of Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

That includes daycare, nursery school, preschool, transitional kindergarten, family home providers and childcare centers.

Preschools are a subset of childcare that are more structured programs primarily serving children 3 to 5 years old. They typically provide a curriculum-based program — often incorporating play — on what the California Department of Education outlines as the domains of early learning:

• Social and emotional development 
• Language and literacy  
• Math 
• Science 
• Physical development 
• Health 
• History–social science 
• Visual performing arts 

All in all, both childcare and preschools serve dual purposes: caring for children while parents are working, attending school or looking for a job, and providing early learning opportunities.

Do all Californians have access to preschool?

Here's the good news: California has invested a lot of resources to help families access preschool, regardless of income, background, where they live or immigration status as part of Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK). That includes transitional kindergarten (TK), the California State Preschool Program and childcare subsidies for family childcare homes and childcare centers.

However, that doesn't mean there's guaranteed space for everybody who needs it. Despite the options, nearly half of young Californians do not receive childcare on a regular basis — 10 or more hours per week — according to a study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

While this guide is meant to help you understand the preschool landscape in L.A., there are systemic barriers that make it difficult for many families — especially communities of color from low-income backgrounds — to access affordable, reliable and high-quality childcare.

Where are preschools based?

They can be found in lots of different settings, including childcare centers, family childcare homes or elementary schools.

Public vs. private preschool — what's the difference?

An easy way to help make sense of the preschool system is to first split the options into two categories: public (free or low-cost) and private (tuition-based).

How to find a public preschool program:

• Search here for a Head Start preschool near you or contact L.A. County’s Head Start Referral Agency to learn more: (877) 773-5543.
• Contact your local Resource and Referral Network, also known as R&R (more information about this below).
• Your local school district can help you find which schools offer TK.

Private preschools are tuition-based, privately owned businesses. They typically run in a home or commercial building.

Each preschool provider's fee will vary. Full-time care for preschoolers ranges between $9,000 and $24,000 a year across California counties, with costs rising.

There’s a variety of private preschools to choose from, both in childcare centers and family homes:

• Religious or faith-based programs 
• Specialized educational approaches (Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia)  
• Parent co-ops  
• Language immersion programs  
• Private TK  
• Play-based preschools 

No matter what preschool you choose, experts say it’s worth considering your child’s social and emotional development in a childcare setting, as it plays a major role in school readiness and academic achievement and can even affect their well-being in adulthood.

How to get help paying (step-by-step)

The bad news: Securing a spot can be challenging due to the limited number of slots available across the state, leaving thousands of families on long waitlists. The Child Care Resource Center, serving San Bernardino and Northern Los Angeles counties, has over 30,000 people on the waitlist (and growing), for subsidized childcare.

Keep in mind that the programs prioritize families with the lowest incomes.

In 2022, only one in nine of California’s children eligible for childcare actually received services, according to a report from the California Budget & Policy Center.

“Because resources are so limited, we recommend they work with their Resource and Referral agency to get their names on all waitlists for programs that would meet their family needs to give themselves the most opportunity to find a space,” said Donna Sneeringer, president of Child Care Resource Center.

Sneeringer said, “It doesn't hurt to get on the lists early, but it is more about timing of enrollment and available funding.”

Explore employer-based childcare benefits

Some employers offer childcare benefits to offset the costs, including:

• Dependent Care FSA, a pre-tax benefit account to help pay for eligible childcare including daycare, nursery school, preschool and before and after school care. There’s a calculator to help you figure out how much you can save  
• Bonuses, one-time or monthly, to cover childcare costs 
• Reimbursements for childcare expenses 
• On-site care that your employer provides 

Talk to your human resources department or review your benefits package to find out what childcare benefits may be offered.

How to find a preschool

Start the search as soon as possible – even for preschool.

“Especially in Los Angeles, there are a lot of wait lists that can go from six months to two years,” said Chang. “My advice for every single parent is start early, even if you don't know the sex of your baby, even if it might be only 8 weeks.”

Below are a few services that can help you with your search.

Resource and referral agencies

California funds resource and referral agencies, known as R&Rs, to help families find childcare programs, including preschool options.

R&Rs can be utilized by all families regardless of income; however, they’re geared toward helping families from low-income backgrounds find subsidized childcare.

When families contact an R&R, they assess needs and suggest options that match your family’s priorities. For example, if you prefer a preschool near your job that’s a flexible, full-day schedule, they can help with referrals.

L.A. County has multiple agencies that serve different regions.

• Child Care Resource Center (Antelope Valley, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley) 
• Children’s Home Society of California (Greater Long Beach area) 
• Connections for Children (West L.A, Santa Monica, Culver City, Torrance, Lomita and the beach cities) 
• Crystal Stairs, Inc. ((South LA, Inglewood, Compton, Gardena, Lynwood, Lawndale & Hawthorne) 
• Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (East LA, Monterey Park, Montebello, Paramount, Bell, South Gate, Huntington Park, and surrounding areas) 
• Options for Learning (San Gabriel Valley, including Pasadena, Monrovia, Alhambra and Baldwin Park) 
• Pathways LA (Metro LA, West Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Koreatown, Northeast LA) 
• Pomona Unified School District Child Development (Greater Pomona area, East San Gabriel valley) 

Once you choose a school, they can also help you fill out the application process.

Find your local agency here or call 1-800-KIDS-793.

Online resources

Child Care Choices: A website to help families navigate the vast childcare and education landscape in Los Angeles County.

My Child Care Plan: Do you want to create a plan that fits your family’s needs? This statewide tool offers free, personalized support to help families narrow their options.

Enter your ZIP code, your child’s age, schedule needs — such as full-time, drop-in or after-school care — language preferences and whether your child has special needs. The tool matches families with licensed programs based on their selections.

Winnie, a search system to help families find childcare, including preschools. Each program will be accompanied by a description, photos, tuition fees, licensing status, availability, and more

Upwards, a company that helps families find childcare. Their specialty is working with family childcare providers.

Word-of-mouth

Talk to friends, colleagues, and trusted parent groups about their preschool recommendations.

Tips for choosing a preschool that’s the best fit for your child

And here are some additional considerations to keep in mind based on your tour and observations:

• Based on what you’ve observed, will your child feel safe and cared for here? 
• What setting will your child learn best in? 
• How are adults communicating with children at this preschool?  
• How do teachers communicate with parents on a regular basis about their child’s development and overall growth?  
• How far is the program from your home? What will transportation look like? 

With many preschool options available, Cristina Alvarado of the Child Care Alliance strongly urges parents to research multiple programs and choose one that best suits their child and family’s holistic needs instead of making a decision based solely on income or affordability.

Early intervention and special education services

Your child’s preschool should be able to provide resources for early intervention and special education services.

There are other resources if you need additional support, like California’s regional centers.

With 21 centers statewide, they support people with developmental disabilities, including young children. Find your local center here.

Families should try not to get discouraged when seeking developmental support for their child, said Dr. Karina Agredano, a disabilities consultant with the L.A. County Office of Education Head Start and Early Learning Division. She said there may be some challenges along the way, but stresses that families are not alone.

Agredano also recommended resources such as:

• Help Me Grow LA: A program of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that connects families with a wide range of services to support their child’s developmental journey, including referrals to regional centers or local education agencies.  
• 211 LA: A hotline for Angelenos looking for special education's services, early intervention, childcare and parenting support, and other resources.  
• Family Resource Centers: These centers help families learn about early intervention and navigate the Early Start system. They partner with regional centers and education agencies. 

“As we always say in early childhood, you're the first teacher for your child. You're also the first advocate for your child,” said Agredano. “So continue to keep moving forward.”

Tell us: What else would you like to know about preschools?